North and Central America and Caribbean

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Travel Summary

• There are human confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus Swine Flu in Belize and the country is now in its second wave of the Influenza. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its pandemic threat alert Phase to Level 6. The WHO website has further details. You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice. There is a dedicated swine flu page on the FCO website. Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the  UK Department of Health website .  You should be aware that medical facilities in Balize are limted.
  
  
• The hurricane season in Belize normally runs from June to November.  See the Natural Disasters section of this advice and tropical cyclones for more details.
  
  
• Around 10,100 overnight British Tourists visited Belize in 2008 (Source: Belize Tourist Board). Most visits to Belize are trouble-free. 14 British nationals required consular assistance in Belize in the period 01 April 2008 – 31 March 2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (2 cases); hospitalisations (1 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (4 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (9 cases). However, you should take the usual precautions against muggings, be on your guard and exercise caution, as there have been occasional violent incidents against tourists.
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism in Belize. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks, which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign nationals.
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and travel insurance for more details.